American commentators have highlighted Australian coach Dean Boxall’s unusually soft celebrations when Mollie O’Callaghan won gold at the Paris Olympics, compared to her ballistic reaction to Titmus.
O’Callaghan claimed her first individual Olympic gold medal in the 200m freestyle final in a highly anticipated showdown against Australian friend and rival Ariarne Titmus.
It was the first time since Ian Thorpe’s victory over Grant Hackett in the men’s 400m freestyle at the 2004 Athens Games that Australia had secured a 1-2 finish in an Olympic swimming final.
O’Callaghan reversed the result of the Australian selection trials, where Titmus narrowly beat her training partner in a world record time.
Both swimmers are coached by Dean Boxall in Brisbane and their reaction when O’Callaghan claimed victory over his star pupil Titmus shocked NBC commentator Dan Hicks.
“If you were Dean Boxall, what would you do? Well, yes, I have two,” he said after the race.
“We’ve seen him go crazy when Titmus wins, for some reason he doesn’t go as crazy when O’Callaghan wins.”
“But as expected, the Australians won one and two and were then able to celebrate their medals by demonstrating good sportsmanship as O’Callaghan outscored Titmus that night.”
Boxall, often known for his volcanic, vein-popping celebrations, cut a subdued figure when one of his pupils, Mollie O’Callaghan, beat his other Ariarne Titmus in the 200m freestyle final.
American and Australian commentators noted the subdued celebrations of the energetic Australian coach.
It was a far cry from the Tokyo Olympics, where Boxall almost stole the show from Titmus after storming to win Olympic gold in the 400m freestyle.
Moments after Titmus handed American rival Katie Ledecky her first loss in an Olympic final, cameras captured Boxall’s exuberant reaction.
Dressed in his trademark bright yellow Australia jersey, Boxall removed his mask and began jumping around his box as a member of staff tried to contain his celebration.
“I mean he’s going crazy. Oh my God. It’s like he’s putting on a show like Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones or something,” the commentator said at the time.
Boxall captured the hearts of Australians when he punched the air with enthusiasm and shook the glass barrier, later becoming… filled with emotion and wiping away tears as Titmus walked up to the podium to receive her medal.
And some fans were quick to note Boxall’s more subdued reaction when his pupil O’Callaghan beat Titmus.
“Dean Boxall must be so proud right now. Where are the wild reactions bro? Give us the #Paris2024 edition please,” one tweeted.
“Australian coach Dean Boxall trains O’Callaghan and Titmus, who just won gold and silver respectively. And he gives off a total Spicoli vibe. IYKYK,” added another, comparing Boxall’s calm state to that of Sean Penn’s surfer character Jeff Spicoli in Fast Times at Ridgemont High.
Boxall in prime form celebrates Ariarne Titmus’ victory in the 400m freestyle final on day one of the Paris Olympics
It came after he went absolutely crazy in the stands at the Tokyo Olympics when Titmus won his first gold medal.
Australian swimming great Giaan Rooney believes he knows the reason why Boxall toned down his celebrations and it has nothing to do with favouring one of his students over the other.
“Coach Dean almost has to find a way to celebrate quietly when he has his two charges in this 200m freestyle,” Rooney said on Nine’s broadcast.
“He can’t seem too excited about Mollie, nor can he seem too upset about Arnie.”
Speaking from Paris this week, Titmus revealed that while Boxall coaches them both, they are rarely in the pool together at the same time.
“To be honest, we don’t train together. She does a very different program than I do. She does the sprint program,” Titmus said.
“I do the distance program, so we hardly ever cross paths,” Titmus said at the Australian team’s training base in Chartres, southwest of Paris.
“It’s like I’m competing with every other member of the team, so I think that’s good. Dean does a great job of managing that.
“I don’t see any of my competitors as competitors out of the water. I try to see them as the people they are and that makes it easier to maintain a civil climate.”
And O’Callaghan said it was more important for them to work on their friendship and camaraderie rather than a rivalry.
“The key is balance,” O’Callaghan said.
‘We compete with each other from time to time and we don’t from time to time. The most important thing is to have a healthy relationship with the girls.
‘We’re competitors at the end of the day, but we also have that friendship outside of the water.